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FBI says hackers have stolen $262 million in account takeover scams in 2025 
so far - here's how you can stay safe

Date:
Sat, 29 Nov 2025 22:33:00 +0000

Description:
Cybercriminals have stolen hundreds of millions through AI-driven phishing,
fake stores, and account takeover scams targeting users across financial
platforms.

FULL STORY

The FBI has reported cybercriminals have stolen more than $262 million from 
US targets through account takeover schemes in 2025 so far, with individuals,
businesses, and organizations across multiple sectors all targeted. 

Over 5,100 complaints related to these incidents have been received by the
FBI, typically involving criminals gaining unauthorized access to financial
accounts, payroll systems, or health savings accounts. 

Social engineering techniques such as phishing emails, fraudulent calls, and
texts are commonly used to manipulate victims into revealing login details,
and once access is obtained, attackers can reset passwords, take control of
accounts, and wire funds to accounts they control, often converting the money
into cryptocurrency to obscure the trail.

AI-enhanced phishing and holiday scams

"A cybercriminal manipulates the account owner into giving away their login
credentials, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) code or One-Time
Passcode (OTP), by impersonating a financial institution employee, customer
support, or technical support personnel," the FBI said. 

"The cybercriminal then uses login credentials to log into the legitimate
financial institution website and initiate a password reset, ultimately
gaining full control of the accounts." 

Cybersecurity companies have reported the rising use of AI to create
convincing phishing campaigns, fake websites, and social media ads, with
Fortinet FortiGuard Labs reporting detecting over 750 malicious,
holiday-themed domains in recent months, with campaigns often targeting users
with urgency-driven messages tied to events like Black Friday or Christmas,
increasing the likelihood of credential theft. 

Low-skill attackers can now deploy highly persuasive scams that mimic popular
brands such as Amazon and Temu. 

"By openly sharing information like a pet's name, schools you have attended,
your date of birth, or information about your family members, you may give
scammers the information they need to guess your password or answer your
security questions," the FBI said. 

Mobile phishing has also increased, with attackers exploiting trusted brand
names to trick users into clicking links or downloading malicious updates. 

Purchase scams are emerging as a significant threat, with fake e-commerce
stores capturing victim payment data and authorising fraudulent transactions
for goods that do not exist. 

Threat actors continue to exploit vulnerabilities in common platforms,
including Adobe, Oracle E-Business Suite, WooCommerce, and Magento. 

Some attacks involve multi-stage funnels that use traffic distribution 
systems to determine the most vulnerable targets before redirecting them to
final scam sites. 

These operations allow immediate financial gain because victims themselves
authorize the payments, with certain campaigns even attempt sequential
fraudulent transactions to maximize stolen card value. 

Cybercriminals often advertise stolen payment cards on dark web marketplaces,
funding further campaigns that compromise additional accounts. 

The FBI has issued some recommendations for the public to stay safe from 
these attacks: How to stay safe Limit personal information shared online
Monitor financial accounts for unusual activity Use unique, complex passwords
for all accounts Verify URLs before logging into websites Be cautious of
unsolicited messages or calls claiming to be from financial institutions
Deploy antivirus software to protect devices from malware Enable firewalls to
block unauthorized access Use identity theft protection to monitor personal
information Recognize that sophisticated phishing campaigns and AI-driven
attacks still pose risks Effectiveness depends on consistent implementation
across devices and networks 

Via The Hacker News 

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/fbi-says-hackers-have-stolen-usd262-million-in-a
ccount-takeover-scams-in-2025-so-far-heres-how-you-can-stay-safe

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